Carlisle
by madeezinezinc
Summary: So, I'd like to be able to fit this into the Sunrise story, but I've not gotten that far yet, so. This is just an idea I had to get down...or...I'd forget it. :/ Don't judge me, but I'd really like to hear what you've got to say about this 'chapter'. Thanks, Ax


Aro held out his hand to me, to David, waiting. David turned to me and said gravely with the same look of defeat that I recognized, even after three hundred years, "Doesn't have to be anything formal, Car. Do whatever it takes." He turned back to Aro and takes his left hand. "I will join you."

Aro reaches his right hand closer to me. I fight my instincts - they are telling me to shove him away. I choke out, "As will I." I take his hand, and peace flows over me. It is Renata, through Aro. Her influence is very strong.

"NO!" Edward struggles against Felix's grasp. "Carlisle? No! Please!" He shrieks. Bella, poor, human Bella lurches forward to grab a hold of his knees, keeping him locked in place, as if she was as strong as one of us. He is instantly rooted to the spot, afraid to hurt her, but he is furious. With me, with David, with Aro, all of us.

My family, Edward and Bella, Rosalie and Emmett… my Esme, holding on to the fiercely struggling Renesmee with all of her might… they just stare at me. They are ashamed, betrayed, hurt, frightened, and angry. I feel it, flowing through the bonds that are placed on us, through my venom. I am thankful, for the first time in my existence with them, that Alice and Jasper are not here to see this. To know what I have done. I _am _the enemy. I am the one who wanted so desperately to kill them, the Cullens. They who have loved me enough to _take my name._

I am heartbroken. They are heartbroken. David is heartbroken. But Aro is beyond filled with glee. He is ecstatic. So pleased. And deep down, in some twisted part of my being, a part I know he now controls, I am happy he is happy. Part of me is glowing with warmth that I have brought all of these wonderful gifts to him. David feels it too. I see that he does. He meets my gaze and his face turns triumphant. I know that, in that moment, my expression matches his. We are one - David, Aro and I. The most powerful thing in vampiric existence: the Volturi.

Edward still stares at us, at me. As I meet his glare, my triumph fades. He is looking at me with such loathe in his eyes it hurts me. "How dare you," he says quietly. "You are now the enemy, Carlisle."

"Oh, Edward," chuckles Aro, "Don't be so melodramatic. Join us."

"Never. Not in a million years. _I_ will not betray my family!" He spits in my direction.

"How about this, then? Join us or he dies." All of the sudden, Felix's thick hands are around _my_ throat, and I cannot fight him, Aro won't let me.

Edward doesn't move. Doesn't make a sound. No one does. Except the small woman in the corner. Marnie.

"Angelus mors, estis conversus humana iterum. Angelus mors ultra. Angelus mors, estis conversus humana iterum. Angelus mors ultra."

Blackness overcomes me and I am no longer conscious, a feeling that I've not felt in over three hundred years washes over me: excruciating agony.

….

Carlisle falls to the ground at Marnie's words. He writhes in pain, watching him makes me think of Edward, twitching on this same floor, at the hands of Jane. We are all speechless. The only sound is a new heartbeat – Carlisle's. I can hear the difference between mine and his. Mine is uneven and fast. His is strong. His whole form glows, down there on the ground. He is surrounded by golden light, still writhing. Suddenly, he is still. His heartbeat is no longer even, it is fast, too fast. He is breathing – he's hyperventilating, I've done it enough to recognized the rapid rise and fall of his chest.

Even as a human, Carlisle is beautiful. Perhaps the most beautiful human I have ever seen. I've never seen Edward as a human, or else he'd be my favorite, with no competition. But Carlisle is gorgeous. His hair isn't as light as it was, it's now a dirty gold. He is tan, much tanner than I thought any ex-vampire could be. He is broad shouldered, but thin. With his stubble, he looks haggard. The deep ruby cloak he is wearing is wrapped around him.

He groans. David crouches next to him. "Carlisle?"

When Carlisle opens his eyes, I gasp. They are a startling blue. Brighter than any blue I've ever seen. He is astounded. His eyes are wide, he is definitely hyperventilating now. He sits up rapidly, pulling himself away from David.

I look up at Edward, whose legs I am still wrapped around. Renesmee, in Esme's arms, is as shocked as the rest of us, taking Carlisle in. I let go of Edward, who is not looking at me. He is focused on Carlisle. Everybody is. I crawl over towards Carlisle, stopping a good ten feet away from him.

"Carlisle?" I ask him. I wait patiently.

My father-in-law's head whips around to stare at me with wide, frightened eyes. I can't imagine what he's thinking. He stares at me for a moment and realizes that I am not a vampire. We are the only humans in the room. He shudders and relaxes, watching me watch him.

"Do you know who I am?" I ask him. We all wait.

"No." He whispers. He turns his head back to David. "David? What happened to you?"

David blinks at Carlisle, and frowns. "I think you should be more concerned about what happened to _you_, mate." They are both using peculiar accents that I immediately associate as coming from the same region. Oh yeah – they grew up together.

And then it really hits me. _Carlisle does not remember the past four hundred years. _He still thinks it's the 1600's. I stop crawling. I sink down to a sitting position and I cry. I weep for all of Carlisle's lost memories. From the dry, racking sobs behind me, I know that Esme and Rosalie share my pain. I scoot towards Carlisle, reaching out tentatively. He hesitates, looking like he wants to flee. I continue towards him and lay my hand on his shoulder. It is firm and warm. He flinches violently, but allows my touch. After a few seconds I wrap him in my arms. He is shaking, whether with fear or the adrenaline letdown, I don't know. My eyes me Esme's and she sinks to the ground, too. Rosalie turns her head into Emmett's chest and wails. The sound is heartbreaking, heart wrenching, and terrifying.

Finally, my eyes go to Edward. My husband, my perfect, brilliant, beautiful, intelligent, funny, and incredibly strong husband is suddenly the teenager I've never really seen him as. He is lost – Edward is a small lost child – a small lost child who's just lost his father.


End file.
